Friction-clutch power-transmitter.



PATENTBD FEB. 14, 1905.

S.BORTON. I FRICTION CLUTCH POWER TRANSMITTER.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1903 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m VENTOI? J w W a r ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

No. 782,481. PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

S. BURTON.

FRICTION CLUTCH POWER TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q g J0 J42 WITNESSES: V INVENTOI? Y HNEYS embodiment.

UNITED STATES I Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STOCKTON BORTON, OF'PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILLCOXz GIBBSSEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FRICTION-CLUTCH POWER-TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,481, dated February14, 1905.

Application filed March 23. 1903. Serial No. 149,150.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, STOCKTON BORTON, a resident of Providence, RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Friction ClutchPower Transmitters, which invention is fully set forth in. the followingspecification.

My invention relates to friction-clutch power transmitters for impartingmotion from a continuously-rotating driving wheel or pulley to a drivenwheel or pulley by pressing the same together with sufficient force tocause the driven pulley to rotate with the driving-pulley throughfrictional contact therewith, and particularly to power-transmitters ofthis type specially adapted for driving sewing-machines.

Great difficulty has beenexperienced with transmitters commonly used onsewing-machines. When pressure has been applied (usually through atreadle) to force the pulleys together to drive the machine, thefriction in and through the bearings of the pulleys, due largely to endthrust and contact of the arm or lever (through which the pressure isapplied) With a rotating part, has been such as to impede the rotationof both pulleys, causing slipping of the driving-belt onthedrivingpulley and preventing the correct number of revolutions frombeing imparted to the machine. I amaware that ball-bearingpowertransmitters have been devised and used with the object ofobviating these difiiculties.

By my present invention I overcome the difficulties above referred toandattain other advantages in construction and'efiiciency of operation.

The improvements constituting saidinvention can best be understood byreference to the accompanying drawings, showing several embodimentsthereof.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the preferred Fig. 2 is a sectional View atright angles to Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged-detail sectional view.Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views of other embodiments,respectively; and Fig. 7 is a detail View.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 is abracket or more set-screws 13.

adapted to be secured to the under side of a sewing-machine work tableor bench and having dependingarms 2 and 3, connected at their lower endsby a horizontal shaft 4, secured in openings therethrough by set-screws5 and 6. The arms are thus bound together by the shaft, impartingstiffness and rigidity to the whole transmitter-frame. 7 is a drivenpulley or wheel'mounted on the shaft, with interposed ball-bearings,which will now be described. 8 is a sleeve fitting closely on the shaft,having at one end a coned head or flange 9, with a concave inner faceagainst which a set of balls 10 bear. At its other end the sleeve is re?duced in diameter to receive a collar 11, constituting a flange or headon the sleeve, and having a coned or concave surface against which a setof balls 12 bear. The collar is secured in proper position on sleeve 8by one 14 and 15 are bearingrings secured in opposite ends of the hub ofpulley 7, the former bearing against balls 10 and the latter againstballs 12. A driving pulley or wheel 20 has exactly similar bearings,except that the position of the sleeve 21 (corresponding to sleeve 8) isreversed, bringing the flanged or coned end 23 at its outer end and thecollar 22 at its inner end opposite the corresponding collar 11 of theother sleeve.- 25 is a ring of leather or similar material, secured topulley 7. A flat surface on the inner face of pulley 20 contactstherewith when the .pulleys are pressed together against the tension ofa spiral spring 26, surrounding shaft Abetween the pulleys and bearingat its opposite ends, against collars 11 and 22, re spectively. A lever30, fulcrumed to bracketarm 2 at 31, carries at one end a friction-block32, adapted to bear in the peripheral groove of driven pulley 7 to stopthe machine when the pulleys are separated. At its other end said leveris forked around shaft 4:, so as to bear against theflanged or coned end23 of sleeve 21 of the bearings of the driving-pulley 20 for moving saidbearings and pulley longitudinally on shaft t to compress spring 26 and7 press the'pulleys together to impart movement to the driven pulley 7.A treadle or other suitable operating means may be connected to an arm33 on lever 30. 34, Fig. 1, is a dress-guard.

It will be understood from the above description that immediately uponrelease of downward pressure upon arm 33 the spring 26 exerts itstension on the bearings of pulley to move said bearings and pulley alongshaft 4, (to the left, Fig. 2,) quickly throwing the two pulleys out offrictional engagement upon release of the pressure upon arm 33 andsimultaneously tilting lever 30 on its pivot and bringing brake-block 32into contact with driven pulley 7, thereby arresting rotary movement ofthe same and of the machine to whichit is belted; The springthereforeperforms the double function of moving the pulleys apart and of applyingthe brake. It is also important to note that the lever in moving thepulleys together does not bear against the hub of the pulley 20 noragainst other rotating part which might produce such friction andresistance to the rotation of the pulleys as to cause slipping of thebelts thereon, and thus prevent the desired number of rotations frombeing imparted to the machine, but bears against the end of thenonrotating sleeve 21 of the bearings of pulley 20. Furthermore, the endthrust falls entirely upon the ball-bearings, so that no exfcessivefriction can be produced therefrom.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is the same as that ofFigs. 1, 2, and

- an integrally-formed flange 41, havinga coned or concave inner faceagainst which a set of bearing-balls 42 for driving-pulley 43 bear. Asecond set of balls for said pulley bear against the inner coned orconcaved face ofa collar 44, screw-threaded onto shaft 40 near itsmiddle. Spring 46bears at one end against collar 44, impartinglongitudinal movement to the shaft and pulley 43, withdrawing the latterfrom contact with driven pulley 47, and simultaneously operating lever48, which bears against the end of the shaft to-apply the brake-block 49to pulley 47 v The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is thesame as that of Fig. 4, except that the driven pulley 5O bears directlyon the shaft 51 and has ball-bearings 52 at one end only serving toreceive the end thrust when the pulleys are forced together. The ballsbear against a collar 54 on the shaft. The spring 53 bears at one endagainst the hub of pulley 50.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5 both pulleys and 61 bear directly upon theshaft, the movement for pressing the pulleys into frictional engagementbeing transmitted to pulley 60 through a collar 62 on shaft 63 andbearing-balls 64, working in the outer end of said pulley. Ball-bearings 65, operating against a collar 66 on the shaft, receive theend thrustin that direction. Spring 67 bears at opposite ends againstthe 'inner ends of the pulley-hubs.

of one or both arms by screws 71.

What I claim is 1. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a drivenpulley or wheel, a driving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary movementto the driven-pulley by frictional contact therewith, bearings for thepulleys comprising a nonrotating shaft and antifriction-balls oranalogous means interposed between the shaft and pulleys, a leveradapted to bear at one end against a non-rotating part of the bearingsof one pulley to force the pulleys into frictional contact and at itsother end to make contact with the driven pulley and act as a braketherefor, and a spring exerting its tension to force the pulleys out offrictional contact and the lever into braking contact with the drivenpulley.

2. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a driven pulley or wheel, adriving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary movement to the drivenpulley by frictional contact therewith,

bearings for the pulleys comprising a nonrotating shaft andantifriction-balls or analogous means interposed between the shaft andpulleys, a lever adapted to bear at one end against a non-rotating partof the bearings of one pulley to force the pulleys into frictionalcontact and at its other end to make contact with the driven pulley andact as a brake therefor, and a spring between the pulleys bearingagainst non-rotating parts of the bearings of each pulley and exertingits'tension to force the pulleys out of frictional contact and the leverinto braking contact with the driven pulley. v

3. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a driven pulley or wheel, adriving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary movement to the drivenpulley by frictional contact therewith, bearings for the pulleyscomprising a nonrotating shaft and antifriction-balls entirelysupporting each pulley upon the shaft, and a lever engaging anon-rotating part of the bearings and acting through theantifriction-balls of. one pulley to press the same into frictionalcontact with the other pulley.

4. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter. a driven pulley or wheel, adriving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary movement to the drivenpulley by frictional contact therewith, bearings for the pulleyscomprising a nonrotating shaft, antifrictionrballs entirely supportingeach pulley upon the shaft, and a flanged sleeve free to movelongitudinally on the shaft and against which the balls for one portingeach pulley upon the shaft, the pulleys and their balls being relativelyaxially movable to bring the pulleys into frictional contact, a springacting upon non-rotating parts of the bearings to move the pulleys outof frictional contact, and a lever bearing upon a non-rotating part ofthe bearings to press the pulleys into frictional contact against thepressure of said spring.

6. In afriction-clutch power-transmitter, a driven pulley or wheel, adriving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary motion to the driven pulleyby frictional contact therewith, a shaft on which the pulleys aremounted, a sleeve on the shaft for each pulley, bearingballs supportingeach pulley on its sleeve, and a lever adapted to bear upon one sleeveto move its pulley along the shaft into frictional contact with theother pulley. M

7 In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a

- driven pulley or wheel, a driving pulley or wheel for imparting rotarymotion to the driven pulley by frictional contact therewith, a shaft onwhich the pulleys are mounted, a sleeve on the shaft for each pulley,bearingballs supporting each pulley on its sleeve, a spring bearingagainst the sleeves, and a lever bearing against one sleeve to move itspulley along the shaft against the tension of the spring and intofrictional contact with the other pulley.

8. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a driven pulley or wheel, adriving pulley or wheel for imparting rotary motion to the driven pulleyby frictional contact therewith, a shaft on which the pulleys aremounted, a sleeve on the shaft for each pulley, bearingballs supportingeach pulley on its sleeve, a spring bearing against the inner ends ofthe 9. In a friction-clutch power-transmitter, a

driven pulley or wheel, a driving pulley or wheel for imparting rotarymotion to the driven pulley by frictional contact therewith, a shaft onwhich the pulleys are mounted, a sleeve on the shaft for each pulleyeach sleeve having an integrally-formed flange at one end anda removablecollar constituting a flange at its other end, two sets of bearing-ballssupporting each pulley on its sleeve and operat ing respectively againstthe inner'faces of the flanges at opposite ends of the sleeve, and alever adapted to bear upon the outer end of one sleeve to move itspulley along the shaft into frictional contact with the other pulley.

10. In afriction-clutch power-transmitter, a

two-armedbracket, a driven pulley or wheel, a driving pulley or Wheelfor imparting rotary motion to the driven pulley by frictional contacttherewith, ashaft rigidly connecting the ends of the arms and on whichthe pulleys are mounted between the arms, a sleeve on the shaft for eachpulley, bearing-balls supporting each pulley on its sleeve, a springbearing against the inner ends of the sleeves, and a lever fulcrumed toone arm of the bracket and hearing at one end against the outer end ofone sleeve to move its pulley along the shaft against the tension of thespring and into frictional contact with the other pulley and the otherend of said lever being adapted to be pressed against the driven pulleyby the action ofthe spring in moving the pulleys out of frictionalcontact.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib.

ing witnesses.

STOCKTON BORTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. KING, ALICE M. H-ENTZ.

